Passionately Human, No Less Divine: Religion and Culture in Black Chicago, 1915-1952 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Passionately Human, No Less Divine: Religion and Culture in Black Chicago, 1915-1952? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Passionately Human, No Less Divine: Religion and Culture in Black Chicago, 1915-1952. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Passionately Human, No Less Divine: Religion and Culture in Black Chicago, 1915-1952 ReviewIn Passionately Human, No Less Divine, Wallace Best describes the difficulties blacks faced in migrating from the south to the north during the first half of the 20th century. Not only did they suffer from economic hardships and homesickness, but perhaps most daunting was the cultural transition from rural to urban life. Rather than portraying these migrants as vicitms, Best aptly focuses on the agency of these rural blacks in both their religious and everyday lives. Through an enlighening study and analysis, Best takes tremendous pains to show how rural blacks, and particularly black women, were not merely puppets in an established order, but agents in a rapidly shifting social order they themselves were bringing to pass.
Best dispels the myth perpetuated by many modern day sociologists that class differences were the main cause of divergent preferences in church membership and demonstrates that differences in church preference were largely determined by familial and community relationships that were brought with them from the south. In other words, one was most likely to attend the church one's relatives or hometown community attended, regardless of denomination.
Best highlights the work of two prominent black female ministers, Lucy Smith and Mary Evans, who, while very different in style and approach, each had trememdous impact on black culture in Chicago. With her more reserved style, Evans seemed to appeal to the more educated black population while Smith's more down-to-earth and emotional style seemed to captivate the hearts of southern blacks in a manner which reminded them of home and was a balm to their homesick hearts. Smith's focus on first tending to the physical and material needs of newcomers brought the masses to her doors.Best closes the book with a description of Smith's funeral which counted over 100,000 attendees including some of the city's most prominent citizens.
Through colorful descriptions and revealing photographs, Best makes a tremendous contribution to the existing body of work on this era. It is must-read for anyone interested in the history of Chicago, the Great Migration of blacks from the south to the north during the first half of the 20th century, the role of black women in church and community, or contemporary black religious life in general.

Passionately Human, No Less Divine: Religion and Culture in Black Chicago, 1915-1952 Overview

Want to learn more information about Passionately Human, No Less Divine: Religion and Culture in Black Chicago, 1915-1952?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now